[tousled1]

Well, I had my CyberKnife consult yesterday but was too tired to post about it. Today I had my chemo treatment so I think I'm running high on the Decadron premed so please bear with me as I may ramble and skip around. Also my hemoglobin was down to 9.9 so I was barely functioning. I got a Procrit shot today so I'm ready and rearing to go.

At any rate The luck of the Irish is back with me and also I have Brenda's brain met guardian angel on loan for now. I will return it to her soon. I met with radiation oncologist Mark McLaughlin Wednesday afternoon. He's so good looking, as sweet as the day is long, caring, empathic and has great bed side manner, takes his time, explains everything in great detail. He's just the greatest. What more can I ask for? He did my radiation after my bilateral mastectomy. I'm so lucky to have him on my team. Actually, I'm lucky I have the entire team I do. They are moving fast on this brain met and of course my lung mets.

Dr Mark explained to me that the reason the ctscan only showed one blip was that a regular ct takes slices (pictures) every 5mm so my brain met showed up on only one image. Hence the need for the MRI. Also, he told me that if the brain met had been any smaller it would not have showed up at all and I would have had to wait until I developed symtoms in about 8-9 months. The location of the met would affect my left side - control of the leg in particular.

Next step is to get authorization from my insurance and then a consult with a neurosurgeon and then get fitted with the special face mask and then get the CyberKnife procedure. Also I will get another scan done but this one will take slices every mm as the CyberKnife is accurate to within a mm. Dr Mark said that with the mm slices it may show more mets in the brain but they would be extremely small and also could be taken care of by CyberKnife. He siad that all this including the CyberKnife procedure should be done within the next two weeks. The good thing is that I can continue with my regular chemo during the entire process. Also due to the size of the brain met I will only require one treatment. More treatments if by chance they find additional brain mets, which I don't think they will. Gotta keep that positive attitude going.

My next lucky break is that Wellstar Kennestone in GA has the CyberKnife. It's the only facility in GA that has it. Before the CyberKnife you had to have the GammaKnife or Whole Brain Radiation. So you see the luck of the Irish is holding out here. I'll be happy to pass it on once I'm done with it to anyone who needs it. An Kennestone is only a 10 minute drive from my home-- can't beat that and my cancer treatment center is right next door.

All in all the consult went very weel and I am happy with everything. Now all I want is for things to move along quickly which I'm sure they will.

I want to again thank each and everyone of you for your wonderful support while I'm going through all this. I really, truly appreciate the support and encouragement, experiences and just knowing that you are here for me. It means the world to me.. I couldn't get through all this without your amazing help. You are the greatest and I thank you from the bottom of my heart, I really do. I also wish nothing but the best for all of you. together we can fight this fight and get NED. That could be our theme - Let's get NED!

As things get lined up I promise I will keep you informed. thanks again for being here for me.